Always in my Heart
by WogglebugLover-AvengingAtheist
Summary: A look into the thoughts and feelings of the Tin Man during Dorothy's saying goodbye.


"Oh, it's. . . it's gonna be so hard to say goodbye. I love you all, too!" Dorothy Gale said with great sadness as she turned to face her three loving comrades.

The Tin Man felt quite sorrowful when he realized he would lose the joy of being with Dorothy when she left for her home in Kansas. This sorrow had briefly been distracted when Glinda the Good appeared and explained to them about the Ruby Slippers, and what Dorothy had to learn in order for them to work. Now the pain returned to his heart, more than before.

Dorothy stepped over to him at her left. He could feel a deep and heavy sob building up inside his heart, which he had so joyfully received from the Wizard, less than an hour ago. He rubbed his hand on the blade of his ax, as if he wanted to signify the pain he felt deep within.

"Goodbye, Tin Man," Dorothy said to him through tears of her own.

At hearing this, he felt something in his heart, he didn't know what it was, but it really hurt. _It's really happening. She's really leaving,_ he thought. His eyes filled with tears and he began to cry.

"Oh! Don't cry," she said, and tenderly wiped the tears from his eyes and cheeks with a white handkerchief. "You'll rust so dreadfully," she reminded him gently.

He told himself very firmly to not cry, for she was right and he didn't want to rust. It didn't stop the pain, though. He wiped away a stray tear and sniffled.

"Here. Here's your oilcan." Dorothy took the oilcan from her basket and placed it gently into his hand, patting it slightly.

He wanted very much to say 'thank you', and yet he couldn't seem to be able to speak. He felt that if he tried to, he would cry and not be able to stop.

Just then, she leaned forward and kissed him on his right cheek. He really hadn't expected her to, and he loved it. It felt so nice, yet somehow it made him all the more sad to see her go.

"Goodbye," Dorothy said once more.

Suddenly, he knew exactly what it was he was feeling so deeply and painfully. He felt he should tell her, felt she should know. He looked into her eyes and spoke very sincerely. "Now I know I've got a heart, 'cause it's breaking. . ." he said, his voice quivering with emotion. He nearly began to cry again, but he forced down yet another sob. He felt it wasn't so good to keep so much emotion inside.

"Oh. . ." Dorothy murmured. She hesitantly stepped away from him and over to the Lion.

He watched as she stood next to the Lion and kissed his forehead. "Goodbye, Lion," she said. "You know, I know it isn't right but I'm gonna miss the way you used to holler for help before you found your courage." She stroked his curly mane in which his prized medal was set.

"Well, I would never have found it if it hadn't been for you," the Lion said, trying to stay strong. He dabbed at some tears in his eyes with the tip of his tail.

The Tin Man knew just how the Lion was feeling. He remembered when Dorothy had discovered him rusted alone in the forest and oiled him up. He knew that if it hadn't been for her he would still be rusted in the spot right now. He truly owed a lot to her.

He watched as Dorothy moved over to the Scarecrow. He saw her give the Scarecrow a hug and felt just a tinge of hurt since he hadn't received one himself. Dorothy seemed to whisper something to the Scarecrow, though from where he stood he couldn't tell.

He sighed as he watched Dorothy leave the Scarecrow and turn to Glinda. _Why does she have to leave? Why can't she stay? Why is my heart aching so? _These were his thoughts as he looked on.

"Are you ready now?" Glinda asked kindly.

Dorothy took a calming breath. "Yes," she replied. Turning back to her companions, she held Toto's little paw out and waved it. "Say goodbye, Toto."

With tears clinging to his eyelids, the Tin Man waved his fingertips, as did the Scarecrow and Lion.

Dorothy turned quickly back to Glinda. "Yes, I'm ready now," she said bravely.

"Then close your eyes, and tap your heels together three times. . ." Glinda instructed.

Dorothy closed her eyes and tapped the heels of her Ruby Slippers.

"And," Glinda continued soothingly. "Think to yourself. . . there's no place like home. . . There's no place like home. . ."

Dorothy repeated the words after Glinda. "There's no place like home. . . There's no place like home. . ."

As the Tin Man looked on, he saw a bright light begin to circle around Dorothy. It swirled and shined all around her. It grew brighter as she continued the chant, "There's no place like home", and seemed to really mean it. She seemed to actually be fading into the light, and before he blinked she was gone.

She was now in Kansas where she wished to be.

And now, for just a moment the Tin Man could feel nothing whatsoever, as if he were rusted all on the inside, and after that moment he felt like he had just fallen apart at the seams, and he began to sob, more openly and carelessly than he ever had in his life. After all, what did his joints matter when his heart was really broken?

The Wizard had warned him, when he gave him his heart, that it could get broken. He hadn't really understood what the Wizard meant then, and now he did. The pain was truly unbearable. He was miserable without Dorothy, yet he knew she was unhappy in Oz, and if she was unhappy then so was he. He had no idea that emotions could be so complicated.

"Aw, there there. We all miss Dorothy," said the Lion, giving him a big, comforting hug.

The Tin Man really felt like he was missing Dorothy more than they were. He didn't know why. He just really missed the way her bright smile always seemed to reflect off of his bright tin body. The way she would oil him if one of his joints just slightly creaked. The way she had complimented him when she had seen him as freshly polished. The way she would wipe away his tears, whether they were sad or happy, so they wouldn't rust him.

Now it seemed all of that was gone, with her.

He kept on crying. Glinda stepped forward to him and, taking his hand gently, she waved her magic wand ever so lightly and instantly something which looked like a handkerchief made of silver silk, and just right for him.

Accepting it from her, he quickly oiled his jaws which had just rusted from the excessive tears then softly muttered "Thank you", and began to use it.

"Dorothy is gone, but not lost," said the Scarecrow, clearly using his new brain. "And I believe we may all be together again someday," he added heartily.

The Tin Man turned his tearful eyes to Glinda. "Will we?"

Glinda looked at them all with compassion filled eyes and said, "I really cannot tell you what the future holds. Though I can tell you this, that Dorothy will never be too far away from any of you, as long as you have a pure heart, and a sensible mind, and the courage to believe." She smiled at them all and continued. "Dorothy is forevermore a part of all of you as long as you'll hold on to the memories of her, and remember how she changed your lives for the better."

The Tin Man smiled through his tears, for he quite understood what Glinda meant. After all, if it hadn't been for Dorothy, he would have never even found his heart, so as long as he had it, he could never really lose her, ever.

Just like she could sense his thoughts, Glinda faced him again and said, "It is especially true for you, Tin Man. Dorothy will never be further away than a beat of your beautiful heart."

The Tin Man sighed happily as he placed his right over chest where his heart was. He began to really smile for he could feel how right Glinda was, Dorothy was in his heart just as it was beating. He knew that from now on, whenever he would think of Dorothy, he would feel happier and not as sad as before.


End file.
